Transmission



S. M. EDBERG Oct. 18, 1932.

TRANSMISSION Filed March 30, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 18, 1932. M,EDBERG 1,883,355

TRANSMISS ION Filed March 30, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwmwvtop PatentedOct. 18, 1932 PATENT OFFICE UNITED STATES SILAS M. EIDZBEBG, OFBISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA, ASSIGNOB OF TWENTY PER .CEN T TO JOSEPH P. SPIESAND FOBTY-PIVE PER CENT TO HELVIN 0. STERN, BOTH OF BISMARCK, NORTHDAKOTA TRANSMISSION Application filed larch 30, 1929. Serial No.851,305.

This invention relates to transmissions and has for a particular objectthereof the production of a transmission wherein acontinuous variationin driving speed may be had from a much reduced low speed to a highspeed wherein the driven shaft is operating at the same speed as thedriving shaft.

A further object of the invention is to produce in apparatus ofthischaracter, a structure such that the changes are all automatic, andthe use of clutches and shifting gears is eliminated.

A still further object is the production of apparatus of this character,which may bevery cheaply manufactured, which will be durable andefiicient in service. and a general improvement in the art.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to produce atransmission in which the drive is imparted through weight controlledgears which as the speed of the driven shaft picks up, assume a certainposition in response to centrifugal force locking the drivin to thedriven gear until the load upon the riven gear is such that thesecentrifugal forces are overcome when the weight will move from thisposition and by its move- "ment permit a reduction of the speed untilthe balance of force and load is again established.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a transmission ofthis character which when applied to an automobile will limit thenecessary controls to a means for accelerating the engine, and a brakefor holding the driven shaft inoperative.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in theaccompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration I haveshown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Referring nowmore particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a drivingand 11, a driven shaft, adjacent ends of which have secured theretodriving and driven gears 12 and 13. These gears are prefer ably ofdifferent sizes, the driven gear 13 being larger. Between the drivingand driven gears a thrust element 14 of any suitable character may beinterposed.

The numeral 15 designates a casing enclosing driving and driven gears 13and of such diameter as to produce about these gears an annular space16. End walls of this casing rotatably receive both the driving anddriven shafts, as indicated at 17, and these end walls have rotatablymounted therein a plurality of shafts 18 extending through theannular-space l6 and having their axes parallel to the axes of thedriving and driven shafts. Each shaft 18 has secured thereto within thecasing a compound gear including an element 19 engaging the drivin gear12 and an element 20 engaging the driven gear 13. Each shaft has one endthereof pro ected through an end wall of the casing and provided with aweight 21 which is eccentrically secured to the shaft. These weightswhen attached occupy similar positions, that is to say, each weight 21projects outwardly from its shaft when the corresponding weight of theother shaft is. similarly projected.

In use of apparatus of this character, a brake B must be associated withthe driven shaft. In the present instance this brake has beenillustrated as directly engaged with the shaft but it will, of course,be obvious that this brake might constitute the ordinary wheel brakes ofan automobile and accordingly be associated with a shaft driven by thedriving shaft. When the brake B is applied and the shaft 10 is driven,the casing 15 will rotate gears 19 and 20 idly upon the gears 12 and 13.This causes a rotation of shafts 18 and a corresponding rotation ofthe'eccentric weights and the forces generated by the operation of theseweights is acting to move shaft 11 against the grip of the brake.

The force supplied will, 0 course, depend upon the speed of operation ofshaft 10.

When brake B is released these forces will start rotation of shaft 11provided they are sufficient to over-come the inertia of the shaft.

speeded up to over-come this inertia and rotation of shaft 11 starts. Asthe shaft 11 icks up in in speedand the forces required or driving thesame reduce, 'rotation of shafts 18 upon their axes will decrease,subjectin these weights more and more to the centri ugal force generatedby rotation of casing 15,. until finally these weights stop theirrotation while extended outwardly from the shafts 18. Shafts 18 becomestationary and gears 12 and 13 are locked to one another through thecompound gear elements of the shafts 18, so that shafts 10 and 11 arerotating as a unit.

It will be obvious that ap aratus of this character ma be very readi yand cheaply manufacture will be durable and eflicient in service becauseof the small number of working parts employed and will provide anentirely automatic connection between driving and driven shafts whenemployed as the transmission of anautomobile. The apparatus isparticularly eflicient in that the structure may be convenientlydirectly attached to the crank shaft of the engine and during operationat high speeds when the casing and gearing are rotating as a unit, willprovide'a substantial flywheel effect while in low gearbut littleflywheel effect will be noted, thus providing for greater accelerationof the low and intermediate speeds. Furthermore, by employing thisstructure the shaft conduit 22 usually employed for conducting oil tothe bearings of the engine may be continued and employed to supplylubricant to the gear.- ing as indicated.

- It will, of course, be obvious that in employing a device of thischaracter in an automobile some means must be provided for produclngreverseoperation. This may consist of transmission disposed in advanceof my transmission having forward reverse and neutral positions. Sincesuch a transmission may beof any desired construction I have notillustrated the same herein.

Since the structure employed is obviously capable of a very considerablerange of s chan e and modification without in any mangears mounted 1nthe housing and u ner epartingfrom the spirit ofthe invention, Iaccordingly do not limit myself to such specific structure except ashereinafter claimed.

ably mounted in said housing one. end of shafts exten outwardly of saidhousing,

11 said latter shafts, said latter gears engaging .a housing carried byabutting gear members, a plurality said first gears and a weilsiteccentrically carried by said latter sha outwardly of the housing saidhousing coactinglwith said weights to automatically control t erotationofsaid driven shaft.

2. In an automatic transmission and in combination with aligned drivingand driven shafts having gears upon their a jacent ends,

said shafts freely rotatable about said gears, .a plurality o off-setshafts mounted in said housing and having extensions projectingoutwardly of the housing, planet gears mounted on said off-set shaftsand engaging with said drivmg and driven gears and a weighteccentrically carried by each ofi-set shaft exteriorly 0 said housingand adapted for circumferential movement thereof said housing coac withsaid wei hts to automatically control e ro tation 0 said driven shaft.

3. In an automatic transmission and in combination with aligned drivinand driven shafts havin gears upon their a jacent ends, a rotatableousing carried by said shafts, said housin comprising an annular member,means for rotatabl mountin said annular member on one 0 said sha anannular flange outstandin from said annular member, a second an r memberadapted to engage the outer end of said flan means for rotatablymounting said secon annular member on the other of said shafts andsecuringmeans for holding said second annular member against movementwith respect to said flange, a plurality of off-set shafts rotatablymounted in each of said annular members of said housing said shafts beinadapted to project outwardly of said secon annular member, gears on saidoff-set shafts engaging with said driving and driven gears and a wei hteccentrically carried by each off-set sha exteriorly of said secondannular member said housing coacting with said wei hts to automaticallycontrol the rotation 0 said driven shaft.

4. In an automatic tion and in combination with aligned drivin anddriven shafts havin gears upon their a jacent ends, a rotatable ousingcarried by said shafts,

a plurality of off-set shafts rotatably mountsecured to said off-setshafts and adapted to on with said driving and driven gears, a wei hteccentrically secured to each ofi-set sha on said projecting portionsand adapted for rotation therewith whereby to control the rotation ofsaid driven shaft, an antifriction element between the inner ends of thedrivin and driven shafts and brake means on t e driven shaft saidhousing coacting with said weights to automatically control the rotationof said driven shaft.

5. An automatic tron comprising 0 -'ofiset shafts, pairs of gearscarried by said shafts and meshing with said first gear members,

weights carried by each of said shafts, and

' said abutting gears with respect to the other abutting gear.

signature;

' SILAS M. EDBERG.

imony whereof I hereunto aflix my

